Lost and Found
by Redemerald6
Summary: Many years ago, six year old Leo found a small girl crying in the sewers. Ten years later, the same girl has grown into a young woman, but no matter what she faced, she always remembered the violet eyed turtle who comforted her. How will she react to seeing him again after ten years? Will Leo even remember? And, what secrets lie behind those brown eyes?
1. Chapter 1

Lost and found.

Chapter 1

I don't own TMNT.

Cammy pov

I'm Camellia Rose. This story starts when I was five. My family and I had just moved to New York two weeks before. Per-normal, my parents were arguing…. about me. Now, for a normal five year old, this would drive them to tears. But, not me. Not here. I would never cry here, in this place where they could hear me.

Just as the yelling became planning, I opened my window and climbed out onto the fire escape. Once on the street below, I moved the loose manhole cover and climbed into the sewer. Why? You might ask. The answer is simple. It's quiet. I can't hear the yelling, car horns, and sirens down here. I enjoyed the peace and liked to come here to cry and hide.

I made my way through the long, winding tunnels and slowly allowed the tears to slide down my face. The words they had said echoed in my mind….

Flashback

"_WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!? YOU KNOW YELLING AT HER MAKES THIS HAPPEN!_

"_**DON'T GO POINTING AT ME! I NEVER WANTED TO TAKE THE BRAT IN TO START WITH! THE DON'T PAY US ENOUGH FOR THIS!"**_

"_KEEP IT DOWN! YOU THINK I LIKE THIS?!"_

"_**YOU KNOW WHAT! I SAY WE TAKE THE MONEY AND DUMP THE KID."**_

"…_."_

"…_**."**_

"_You know what, that's what we'll do."_

"_**Seriously?"**_

"_Yeah, we've been through enough of this. Let's just take the money and get out."_

End

They talked about it a lot, but never actually left. I didn't know why. They hated me and I returned those feelings tenfold.

Remembering this, I felt fresh tears spilled out of my eyes and I slid to the floor sobbing loudly. I didn't care how loud I got. It wasn't like anyone was down here to hear me. I curled into a tight ball on the floor and just cried. Letting out all the pain, anger, sadness, and horror I had been holding in for the last two weeks.

I was so distraught; I didn't even know there was someone there, looking at me with sad, confused eyes.

Leo pov

It was pretty late when I heard it, sobbing coming from the tunnels. I got out of my bed quietly and went to see what was going on. Once, out in the tunnels, I found a small human girl curled up on the floor. She was crying really hard, like she had gotten a really bad hurt. I moved toward her and did what Sensei did when one of us got hurt. I carefully hugged her and held her while she cried.

Slowly, her sobs became little hiccups and she looked up at me with big brown eyes, still with a few tears. I smiled a little, a bit shy cause this was the first time I had met a human, let alone a girl. To my surprise, she didn't get scared or try to pull away. She just watched me for a moment before speaking. "W-who are you?"

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously as she sat up. "I- That is- I mean… My name is Leonardo. But, my brothers call me Leo." I stumbled a bit on my words. She tilted her head. "I'm Cammy. I don't have any brothers."

We sat there for a while talking about random topics. My family, her family, my favorite shows as well as her own, finally, as the sun started to come up in the city above, she said she had to leave. I was a bit sad, but knew she did have to leave. We both stood up, and then I had an idea. I took off my blue bandana and tied it around her arm. "So you won't forget me." I explained smiling. Her eyes shined happily.

"Leonardo! Where are you?" I turned at the sound of Sensei's call. I gave her one last look before running back to the lair.

Cammy pov

I watched Leo leave for a moment, before climbing back up the latter to the surface and walked back to my apartment. I climbed up the fire escape and back into my window. Sitting down on my bed, I waited for my parents to come in. They never did.

After waiting about ten minutes, I opened my door to find the apartment striped of all the things that were valuable. At first, I thought it was a robbery. Then, I checked my parents' room. All their things were gone as well… and so were they.

For the first time in my life, I cried in the open.

Ten years later…..

I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock beeping loudly. I slammed my fist down on it, causing the screen to splinter a bit. I sat up and stretched. Slowly, I got off my bed and changed for school. Pulling on my favorite green long sleeve and a pair of black jeans I started to head out. I had just reached for the door knob when I noticed that the faded blue bandana wasn't on my wrist. I gasped in horror and searched my room. To my relief, it had just fallen off in my sleep. I wrapped it tightly back onto my wrist and forearm.

I walked down the halls of the high school with my eyes down cast as the whispers followed me. _"That's her, right? The freak?" __**"Yeah, that's her. Avoid her at all times." **__"Why? What does she do?" __**"Nothing much, I just didn't think you'd want to be associated with an emo cutter." **__"She cuts?!"__**"Why else won't she take off the blue thing on her wrist? Not exactly a fashion statement."**_

I opened my locker and pulled out my math and science books. I close the door to find one of the girls from before. Emma, the perfect imitation of Barbie with a really bad spray tan. I chose to just walk around the blond and go in my way. I really didn't want to be late for class today. But, she got in my way. "Hey, there, Cam. What's up?" I looked up at her with a neutral look on my face.

"The sky. Now, if you don't mind, I have to get to class." I said, keeping the anger out of my voice. She seemed a bit disappointed with my lack of response to her. "You know, if you were a bit more respectful, you might actually have a friend." She called as I was about to go into the classroom. I froze in the doorway and closed my eyes. I fought back my anger down and turned to her. "I give respect to those who earn it. So far, only one person in my life has ever earned my respect, and it will never be you, Emily Parks."

With that, I walked into my classroom. I felt the entire class watch me as I did, as was normal. The math teacher looked up at me expectantly. I opened my math book and pulled out my work for the next three weeks. I handed it to him and went to my desk. Murmurs broke out among the other kids as the teacher graded the work. After he was done, he said "Miss. Rose. You may go. I see no point in you being here with all the work already completed.

I got back up and walked up to the desk, still with the neutral look on my face. He handed me back my graded work, each one with a little (100%) written on the top in red pen. I put the papers back into my book and continued out the door just as the bell rang signaling the start of class.

I went to each of my classes after that and turned in the works for the next few weeks. It wasn't until I reached my English and Literature class that I had any problems. It looked like Emma had switched hours again. I went to open the door only to have it slammed into me. Emma quickly came around to apologize, but stopped when she saw it was me. "Oh, it just you. Well, then. I'm not sorry." With her she shoved me away from her and into the wall.

I winced a bit, but just went into the classroom and turned in the work as well as a manuscript I had written and wanted my teacher to check for grammar errors. Without another word I left the school and went to my favorite spot in the park, under an old oak tree.

I sat under that tree with an empty notebook in front of me. I twirled my pencil around between my fingers as I tried to decide what to put on the blank canvas before me. I finally decided to draw. I started with the rough outline of a human boy, then, just on a whim, I added a turtle shell. Soon, I was looking at the aged version of the turtle/boy I had met ten years before.

With a sigh, I closed the notebook and laid my head against the base of my tree and closed my eyes. I let the memory of Leo flood my mind as I sat there alone. He's hugged me for the first time in my life, held me while I cried and comforted me through it all.

I hadn't seen him since that night, but not from lack of trying. I had searched the sewers for days after that without ever finding him. I opened my eyes again to find I had been remembering for a lot long then I had thought. The sun had gone down. I stood up stiffly and started walking to home with my hands in my pockets.

I was almost there, when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw I was being followed. Not giving away that I knew, I turned into a random alley and quickly hid behind a dumpster. I listened closely as the steps came down the alley and froze. "Where's she go?!" growled the familiar voice of Hun of the Purple Dragons.

I pressed myself closer to the dumpster trying desperately to blend in with it. "She couldn't have gotten far." They moved on and I came out of my hiding place. I looked in the direction I had heard them go and turned to continue down my path. As I did, I bumped into someone and fell back. I groaned and looked to see who I had hit. "Sorry, I didn't s…" I froze mid-sentence as my eyes got wide. Standing there was a tall turtle with a red bandana over his eyes, similar to the one on my arm. He seemed frozen in shock, confusion, and fear. "Uhoh." He murmured back away a bit. A voice called up from the manhole he had just come out of. "Raph, what's wrong?" the turtle looked down the hole. "Um, maybe you should get up here and tell me what to do, oh fearless leader."

Another turtle came out and followed his brother's gaze. When he looked at me, I almost broke down. It was him. It was Leo. Tears filled my eyes as I backed away in shock and pain as there was no recognition in those violet eyes. I guess I should have known… Just because I remembered him all these years, doesn't mean he'd remember me.

I closed my eyes and turned and ran away. I didn't know what else to do. I had been rejected and forget my entire life… I guess I had just hoped that the one person I had ever given my respect and trust to would at the least remember… Stupid me.

Leo pov

The girl, who for some odd reason picked at an old memory from ten years ago, ran down into the alley. For some reason, the sight of her in tears pulled at my heart painfully. "Yo, Leo, what was that about? She looked like she knew you or something." I nodded, "Yeah, I'm not sure, but I think I know her, too. Maybe…"

Just then, Mikey and Donnie came up. "What's going on?" asked a puzzled Donnie. "I got spotted by some girl and she totally lost it when she saw Leo. Took off that way." Raph explained pointing the way the girl had gone.

I shook back any thoughts of the past "We better go after her." Raph looked puzzled "Why? Even if she does tell someone, who would believe her?" I turned to him "The Kraang and Foot for one, that and there is the simple fact that a group of Purple Dragons just went that way…" My brothers all paled at this and we ran after the girl.


	2. Chapter 2

Lost and Found.

Chapter 2

Cammy pov

I ran down the alley, fighting back my tears. I wasn't really looking where I was going. This being a mistake, because if I had been paying attention, I would have known I was heading right for the Purple Dragons.

"Well, lookie here, boys." I gasped and stared in front of me as I screeched to a halt. Hun had that nasty smirk on his face that always scared me. "Where did you go, Cammy? We've been looking for you." He took a step toward me. I quickly stumbled back with wide eyes. Hun's smirk grew as he cracked his knuckles "We didn't get to finish our little session last week."

My eyes took in everything around me. Discarded chain, a short metal pipe, and a trash can lid. Not much, but it maybe all I needed. My eyes flashed back to Hun, and then I put my plan into action. Rolling past him, I picked up the pipe. Faster than he could see, I slammed it against the back of his head.

One of his goon charged at me, and I held up the trash can lid as a sort of shield. I knocked the goon out by hitting him with the pipe. From behind me, someone threw a knife. It made a tiny cut on my cheek, but nothing much else. I threw the lid like a frizzbee. It hit the wall and bounced back and hit the night thrower, knocking him out cold.

Leo pov

We made it to the fight just as the trash can lid hit the guy after bouncing off the wall. I had to admit, she had done really well for such a small girl. But, she looked really tired. "We need to help her." I said drawing my Katana. "Why, she seems to be able to handle hers…" Raph was interrupted by a yelp of pain.

We returned our gaze to the fight to fond the girl had been stabbed in the side. At the sight of her blood, running down her side, I got angrier then I had been in a long time. I jumped down into the fight and fought the one who had stabbed her away from the bleeding girl.

"Turtles!" yelled Hun. The dragons seemed to lose any fight they had and turned and ran. "YEAH, KEEP RUNNING YOU JERKS!" yelled Raph after the retreating gang. I turned to find the girl curled in a ball as she clutched her side in pain. "Donnie!" I called in worry as I went to her side.

She looked up at me with those pain filled, brown eyes that, again, made my mind go back to the sewers ten years ago. I pushed it back for now. "It'll be okay, you're safe now." I soothed gently. Her eyes filled up with tears. "Y-you really don't remember me…" she choked out as the tears slid down her face.

I felt really bad. She clearly thought I was someone she knew. Donnie was suddenly at our side and looking at her wounds. "We'll have to take her to the lair. I can't fix this here." I nodded as Donnie scooped the girl up. She had passed out from pain by now. Her arm was dangling down as Don held her. "Uh, dudes, what is that on her arm?" asked Mikey.

I looked and saw a faded blue thing on her arm. At the sight of this, it all made sense and I felt even worse. I did know this girl! This was the same girl I had sat with until dawn. The one I had given one of my bandanas to so she wouldn't forget me. "Yo, dude you look a bit pale, Leo." Raph said looking worried.

I shook my head. "We need to get her back now." I managed shakily before opening up a manhole. My brothers looked a bit confused, but went with it. As we ran back, I'd throw glances at Cammy. I couldn't believe what I had just put her through. She told me how people kept turning their backs on, and forgetting her. Now, she thought I was just another person that forgot her.

When we got back, I followed Donnie into the infirmary. It took him a while, but he got her stable and out of pain. She lied on the bed sound asleep. I took a seat next to the bed and held my head in my hands. Guilt pulsed through me as I remember how much more broken she looked now.

"Leo? You want to fill me in here?" asked Donnie taking a seat on the other side of the bed. I sighed "You remember ten years ago, when you all woke up and I wasn't there?" Donnie nodded "Yeah, Splinter was totally freaked out. You don't forget something like that." I nodded "Well, I wasn't totally honest when I told you where I had been." Donnie sat up a bit straighter. "Go on."

"You see, that night, like really late, I heard something out in the tunnels. It sounded like someone was crying. I went to see and found a little girl, she was really upset. So, I, sort of comforted her…" Donnie stared at me for a bit, and then slowly nodded "Okay, that explains a lot. Most traumatized kids will cling to the first person to ever show them kindness. I wouldn't be surprised if, in your absence, she never took off your bandana." I groaned and buried my face into my hands again. "Thanks, Donnie. Now I feel even worse about this."

Donnie sighed and came over to me. "You were six years old, Leo. I'd be quite surprised if you remember little details about that." I pulled away from him. "She's not a little detail, Donnie! She's a girl who's been through shell knows what and going off her reaction, I'd say I just shattered what little was left of her heart!" I yelled as the guilt finally surfaced.

At that moment, Sensei walked in. "Leonardo, may I speak with you." I sighed and followed him to his meditation room. Once seated, he spoke to me "My son, I understand you are going through a great amount of pain and guilt because of this child. What I do not understand is, why." I explained, as I had with Donnie, what happened ten years ago. "She trusted me, Sensei. She's been through so much, only to have the person she's been clinging to forget her, even if it was only for a moment. I can't help feeling like a betrayed her deeply."

Splinter sighed and put a hand on my shoulder. "This young girl does indeed have deep running scars in her heart, but she is strong. Though, I do not deny, she will need you now more than ever. Perhaps, you and your brothers could work together to heal and repair her broken heart." I looked up at my teacher and father. "Hai, Sensei."

I stood up and went back to the infirmary to find Cammy waking up and Donnie asking her if she hurt anywhere. Those eyes, once bright and full of life, were now dull and hollow. The sight hurt me, more than any wound I had ever gotten. They both looked up when I walked in. Donnie gave a strained smile and I nodded. "Hey, how are you feeling?" her eyes get down. "I'm fine… that wasn't the worst I had ever gotten." She murmured a bit.

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. "Hey, Don. You think you could give us a minute?" Donnie nodded and left. "So, I know this is the worst timing and I'm not sure how you'll feel about it now. But, I do remember you. I never forgot, I just didn't recognize you. I mean, it's been ten years. You aren't exactly the little girl I found in the sewers anymore."

Her head shot up and she stared at me. A little bit of light returned to her eyes, just a spark, but it gave me hope. I sat next to her, like back in the sewer. After a moment, I pulled her into a hug. She was stiff at first, then, slowly, she wrapped her arms around me and sobbed. I just held on, not letting her go.

Splinter pov

I watched as Leonardo comforted the young girl. Yes, she was broken, but maybe, just maybe, she's not broken beyond repair.


	3. Chapter 3

Lost and Found.

Chapter 3

Cammy pov

I felt myself coming back to the waking world, but didn't want to wake up completely. 'I dreamed it. I dreamed that Leo and his family found me and offered to help me. It was just a beautiful, wonderful, painful, dream.' I thought as I fought to stay sleep, to return to Leo and the others.

"Breakfast!" called the voice of Mikey, Leo's youngest brother. I wondered if I was going back to the dream now. Then, I felt someone shaking my shoulder. "Cammy? You better get up. You'll miss breakfast."

I slowly, and against my better judgment, opened my eyes. Kneeling next to the couch I was lying on, was Leo. He smiled kindly as I stared around. Mikey, Donnie, Raph, and Splinter were in the kitchen eating already, well the boys were eating, it looked like Splinter was only having a cup of tea. I looked back to Leo, who was looking concerned. "You okay?"

I blinked "I-It wasn't a dream?" Leo seemed to understand and smile again. "No, we're really here. We really found you last night, Donnie patched you up, and you and Mikey play video games until you passed out on the couch." I nodded slowly as the memories came back to me. I smiled and got up. Leo followed suit and we went to the kitchen.

"Morning!" chirped Mikey handing me a plate of pancakes. "Good morning." I smiled, taking the plate. "So, Cammy. Where do you go to school?" asked Donnie. "I go to Brookside. It's a little private school just outside the city." Raph spoke up "Private school, huh? How'd you get in one of those?" I shrugged "I got accepted right after my parents…." I paused and looked at my plate sadly. I quickly shook the sorrow away. "Anyway, it works for me."

"You know, today is a school day. Shouldn't you be heading to school?" Donnie asked, tilting his head a bit in confusion. "No, I won't need to go back to school for a couple more weeks." Leo raised an eyebrow "You on break or something?" I looked over at him. "Sort of, I did all my work for the next three weeks already. So, there's no point in me going to school if I already did the work." I took a bite of pancakes while the group, excluding Splinter, gaped at me.

"What?" I asked. "You did all that work already?" asked Leo. I nodded "You sound surprised." Donnie shook his head. "I guess we had just thought that home work was supposed to be difficult. The way April talks, you'd think it was a form of torture." I snickered a bit at the comparison. "It's hard, but if I get it done, I don't have to go there every day. Just once every three weeks to turn in my work and get the work for the next three weeks."

We continued our little talk about random stuff. When the topic of how I earned money with my parents gone came up, I told them about how I used to babysit. And we all had a good laugh as I told them some of my most interesting babysitting adventures. "And there was this one little boy, sweetest kid I knew, he had one little problem. He had more energy than a power plant when it was struck by lightning. So, one day, after trying a million times to put this kid to bed for a nap and chasing him around the house twenty times, I gave up and decided he'd fall sleep on his own. So, I go into the kitchen to make a snack and this is what I hear." I drum the table really fast making it sound like running feet going back and forth, then slammed my hand hard on the table making the turtles jump, and Splinter, who knows where this is going, chuckle. "I wait, he doesn't cry, so I guess he's not hurt. So I go into the hall and there he is. Curled up in the middle of the floor sound asleep. I kid you not, this little brat had run himself to sleep." The turtles and I roared with laughter as I finished my story.

The day continued like this, telling funny stories, eating, training for the boys, Leo got me hooked on Space Heroes (much to Raph's dismay), and Donnie helped me with my science school work. Mikey, for the most part, wanted to play games and went around pulling pranks. When I wasn't doing school work or hanging out with the boys, I found myself sitting in a corner to draw and write.

Leo pov

I looked up and over at Cammy as she sat in the corner. She had this dark look on her face. I got off the sofa and walked over to her. "Hey, Cammy? You okay?" She jumped a bit and looked up at me. She seemed fine now. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" I raised an eyebrow. "You just looked so,.. I don't know, down? A second ago." She looked puzzled "I haven't been this happy in years."

I shrugged and sat by her and looked at what she was doing. There was an incomplete picture of Donnie sitting at the table tinkering, as he was at this exact moment. I smiled "That's good." She smiled at me "Thanks, I've always wanted to be an artist when I got older. If my aspirations of being a writer fail." She looked at her notebook again and I watched her finish the final details of her drawing, once in a while peeking up at Donnie.

We sat there, contentedly as she drew and I watched her. We were suddenly pulled out of our moment when something in Cammy's pocket vibrated. She pulled out a cell phone. The caller icon was a picture of the pizza delivery boy, under the photo was "Wes". She sighed and pressed the answer key "You've got three minutes, Wesley, speak fast." There was a pause as she listened on her end "Again? How long ago?" another pause "NO! ARE YOU CRAZY?! Don't move, I'm on my way." She hung up.

"I need to go." She put her things in her backpack and slung it on her shoulders. I quickly got up "Let us come, too." She looked at me for a moment. "You'll follow me even if I say not to won't you?" she said with a strait, serious face. I nodded and she sighs. "Then we better move."


	4. Chapter 4

Lost and Found.

Chapter 4

Cammy pov

Luckily for me, the pizza place I work at isn't far from the lair. I was about to run in, when I saw the place over run with Purple Dragons. I skidded to a stop outside as my heart slammed in my chest. I had completely forgotten that the turtles were there in my panic.

My guess is Mikey noticed I was frozen and came down. "Hey, you okay?" I shook my head to get rid of the panic and nodded. "Y-yeah just got a bit scared there for a second." I walked over to the door and opened it.

The stupid little bell announced my presence and Fong turned and looked at me. The same sadistic grin on his face as always. I had to practically hold my breath to keep my panic down. "Well, here's the one we're looking for. Our boss wants a word with you, Cammy." I narrowed my eyes "Not interested."

My eyes swept around the room. Some pizza trays, pizza cutters, the oven is still on, and the knife I use to cut the various meats and veggies was stabbed into the cutting board. Again, they weren't much, but I could use them if this got hairy.

"I find it interesting you think we are giving you a choice." Fong laughed. At that moment, a group of ninjas attacked me. I dove out of the way and grabbed two pizza cutters. A ninja tried to grab me and I ducked under his arms, slashing across his chest with the cutter. He stumbled back in pain and another replaced him.

He was about to slash me with a dagger, when a chain wrapped around his arm. I looked past him and saw the boys fighting as well. I silently thanked the gods Wes was out cold. Suddenly, a fuzzy hand grabbed me over the mouth. A mistake on his part as I can bite like nobody's business. I bit down on the hand hard enough to draw blood (YUCK!) and he yelled and pulled away.

I rolled away, and turned to face my new attacker. I guess I should have been a bit shocked, but somehow, the fact that the guy was a huge dog seemed more ironic the shocking. He growled at me and I got into a fighting stance. Before either of us could do anything, Leo was there. He smacked the dog at the base of his spine with the hilt of his katana and stood in front of me protectively.

Donnie quickly joined us "Are you hurt?" I shook my head. In truth, yes I was, but they needed to focus on the task at hand, not me. If I was honest, I would have told them that I was about to have one of my coughing fits.

They gathered up the ninjas and the dog and tied them up. "N-now what?" I asked hoping to cover the fact I was choking a bit. I hoped to sound more scared then strangled. "Now, we leave." Said Leo, putting his katana away. "There will be more on their way and I think we've had enough for one night. Especially if Shredder is after you for whatever reason." I nodded and he looked at me. "Are you sure you weren't hurt? You look ready to fall OVER!" He yelled that last part in panic, because that is just what I was doing, falling over.

Leo pov

I yelled in surprise as Cammy slumped forward and started coughing. Raph caught her before she hit the ground. "Cammy?! What's going on?!" panicked Mikey. Cammy managed to stop long enough to say "M' fine, just a fit. It'll pass." Before coughing again.

All we could do was sit there with her and wait for the coughing to stop. When she finally did, she looked drained. "Sorry." She muttered getting to her feet. We just nodded and decided to ask when we were someplace safe. We left the shop and waited outside for Cammy. She came out a moment later and told us she had woken Wes up.

We walked back quietly for a while. It wasn't until we reached the manhole back to the lair that Cammy spoke. "I need to go back to my apartment. My medicine is there, and after what just happened…" She looked down. "Okay. Then, we'll see you later?" asked Donnie, trying to figure out her sad look. "If I can find you again… Last time, it took me ten years to find you."

I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Then this time, we'll make sure you find us a bit sooner." I turned to Donnie "Hey, Don, let me have that spar Shell phone of yours." My purple banded brother handed me the phone and I gave it to Cammy. "There, if you want to find us, just call. We come and lead you back. Eventually, you'll be able to get there yourself."

She smiled "Thanks, guys. I'll see you later." She ran off waving. We all stood there waving back, and Raph leaned over to me "We're following her, right?" I kept waving "Of course."

Cammy pov

I ran into my apartment smiling. "Spaz, I'm home!" the hiss of my pissed off cat answered me. I laughed and filled her food bowl. She pounced off the sofa and ate the food. When she had had her fill, she purred and rubbed against my legs. "Oh, so I'm forgiven then?" I laugh, putting my hoodie over the couch arm and flopping onto the furniture.

My cat jumped up onto my chest and lay down, still purring. I smiled and stroked her back. "You'll never believe who I found, Hestia. It was the turtle boy from ten years ago. I met him long before I knew you." The tiny white cat looked at me with those mismatched eyes.

I lay on the couch, telling my cat about my last few days, until I fell asleep. When I woke up again, it was to a knocking at my door. I groaned and sat up "Coming!" I called. I went to the door and opened it. I was a bit surprised to see a boy from school there. I was never there long enough to ever get his name, but I had seen him in the halls before.

"Can I help you?" I yawned, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. "Sorry to wake you, but the school asked me to bring this to you, since we live in the same building. Your science teacher forgot to put it with your other stuff." The boy held out a stack of paper and I took it. "Test?" I murmured sleepily. He nodded "Yeah." I sighed "Thanks, um…"

"Mason. My name is Mason Clark." I nodded "Well, nice to meet you Mason." He nodded. I was about to say goodbye when my shell rang. I pulled the phone out "Hello?" Leo's voice came from the other end "Cammy! Thank shell you picked up! We just got word that Shredder is sending an army of Foot to your apartment!" That woke me up. "WHAT?!" Leo spoke quickly "We're coming as fast as we can, but in case we don't make it, you need to hide." I groaned "And where, pray tell, am I supposed to hide?! I don't exactly have an Annex to crawl into!"

Mason, who had been listening the whole time, spoke up at this. "My parents will be out of town for the next few weeks. You can hide at my place." I looked at the boy. Part of my mind screamed "STARNGER DANGER! STRANGER DANGER!" and the other told me that if things went south with this guy, I could take him. With a sigh and spoke into the phone "Never mind, I just found an Annex." I hung up and Mason led me to his apartment.

I followed him, not letting my guard down. "So, who called? What are you hiding from?" I looked at him for a moment "My brother. He told me that our father was coming and I needed to lie low." I said the lie too perfect. Mason looked at me "You have a brother?" I nodded "Four older brothers. They live elsewhere."

The boy nodded and opened the door. It was at that moment I remembered why it was so difficult to get into Brookside. You had to be either super intelligent or super rich. And, going off this apartment, I'd say Mason was one of the rich kids.

I held back a groan at the sight of the house and walked in. "You want something to eat?" He asked going into the kitchen. I shook my head. "I already ate." He nodded "Well, the guest room is the first door on your right down the second hall." I nodded and went to the room. "One last question!" he called after me.

I turned "What?" he took a breath "Why don't you ever come to school? I mean, I've seen you in the halls, but not more than a rare occasion and only to watch you leave before school even gets into full swing." I massaged my head "I don't stay because I don't need to. I get the work done and there no point in me being there. Good night." I turned and went to the room and closed the door behind me.

I know, I shouldn't have been so hard on the guy. I'd apologize… Later.

Mason pov

I watched as the small girl vanished into the hall. I knew that her little story about having brothers and a dad after her was a load of scrap, but it wasn't my place to dig. Not yet. I groaned and went over to the sofa. I reached under it and pulled out a scrap book.

I guess I shouldn't be too mad about the lie. I had told a few of my own. Like how my name is Mason and how my parents are out of town. Everyone has their secrets. Some are small and meaningless, others are powerful and dangerous. Like mine and hers. Ours were deadly secrets, and I doubt her "Brothers" have a clue about it… Maybe,.. NO! She's wasn't ready for that yet.

Over time, I'd tell her… just not yet. She's already so broken. No, I needed to heal this damage first… It's partially my fault. Right? I mean, I thought big brothers were supposed to protect their little siblings….


End file.
